20 SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD 
better be Elihu Spencer. I suppose you will decide when you come, 
Will and Sam are delighted with it. I am afraid they will kill it with 
kindness, they are so rough. Will catches hold of it as it were wood 
or stone. 
Lydia says she has a long message to send you. She is now 
asleep but I suppose I must leave room for it. Love to all. 
Yours affectionately, 
VALERIA. 
P.S. Lydia wants to know whether you think Aunt F. would 
like her to call the baby Spencer F. She is afraid perhaps it may give 
Aunty some dislike, or rather recall disagreeable recollections to her 
mind.! If you think that will be the case she will call it Elihu 
Spencer. She likewise wants a box of tapers, which I forgot to bring, 
a bottle of lavender, and some raisins for cake. I believe this is 
all her important message, except that I must tell you she is uncom- 
monly well. V. F. P. 
N. B. Please give my compliments to Mr. H. Hall and request 
him to send me a few books, some entertaining ones for Lydia and 
some improving ones for myself. I leave it to him to select, as | 
have such entire confidence in the goodness of his judgment. Lydia 
wants a few smoked herring. V. 
P.P.S. 
Dear Motuer, 
I observe by the city papers that the puerperal fever prevails in 
the city. As this is a disease which is peculiar to ladies during their 
confinement, almost invariably proves fatal, and as it is believed 
that the infection is conveyed from one sick chamber to another in 
the clothes of nurses, should Nurse Scott have attended any lady 
who has been sick with it, it would be advisable that she should 
leave the garments she wore at the time, in the city. I have heard 
of no case of the kind in this neighborhood this season. V. P. 
Jacob Heevener will please to carry this letter round to Mrs. 
Biddle’s as soon as he gets into the city, as she may wish to come up 
with him in the stage the next morning. 
1 Owing to the recent death of the cousin so named. 
